The Sonic Drive-In Player-of-the-Game for Friday, February 8, is KJ Bradley of the Eastside (Gainesville) boys’ basketball team.
Bradley scored 11 of his team-high 15 points in the second half as Eastside held off rival Gainesville, 50-47, Friday night at Santa Fe College.
The junior had back-to-back three pointers during a third quarter spurt and scored a basket late in the fourth quarter as the Rams went on a 7-0 run to take a 48-42 lead with a minute left and held off multiple three-point shot opportunities to tie by the Hurricanes on the final possession of the game.
Eastside swept rival Gainesville in three meetings this season, also winning 51-41 at the Hitchcock’s Challege in Alachua on Dec. 30, and 48-43 in the first meeting at the Santa Fe College gym on January 18.
The Rams got off to a hot start in the opening quarter, as seniors Anthony Wright and Donald Mack and junior Anthony Richardson all knocked down three pointers as Eastside led 16-11.
Richardson hit two more threes in the second period, and had 10 points as the Rams went into the halftime break leading, 25-20.
Bradley hit his two three pointers in the third period, but Gainesville kept whittling away at the Eastside lead and went into the fourth quarter only trailing by two at 36-34.
The teams traded the lead back and forth in the final period before the late run that put the Rams ahead for good. Senior Rod Williams and freshman Daryus Boyd missed three point attempts for GHS that would have tied the game.
Richardson joined Bradley in double figures with 15 points to lead Eastside, which finished the regular season with a 23-2 record.
The Rams are the #1 seed and host the District 6-6A tournament next week. They will play the Dunnellon/Belleview winner in next Wednesday’s district semifinal The other semifinal in 6A-6 is Santa Fe (Alachua) against North Marion (Citra).
Gainesville had three players in double figures, led by junior Roshawn Bradley with 15 points, and senior J’len Wilson and Williams chipped in 14 and 10 points, respectively.
The Hurricanes finish the regular season at 14-11 after dropping their last two games this week against P.K Yonge (Gainesville) and Eastside.
Gainesville is the top seed as well in District 4-7A, and will play the winner of the play-in game between Vanguard (Ocala) and Lake Weir (Ocala) next Wednesday in the semifinals. The other semifinal pits Forest (Ocala) against Columbia (Lake City).
Every game The Prep Zone will recognize a Player-of-the-Game. The recipient receives a $10 gift certificate courtesy of Sonic Drive-In of Gainesville & Ocala.
